Try Try Again
by chibiomi03
Summary: Axel, a prince, and Roxas, the knight. Their story was a true one.
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy 7 is property of Square Enix and Disney

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A knight in training had to mind his manners, a knight in training had to be neat and clean, and most importantly, a knight in training had to be obedient.

Obedient. The word made him cringe with distaste. He hated taking orders but he knew he had to be. He knew he had to follow orders and one day he would rise in the ranks and be under the commander of the knights. The commander, the prince of the whole kingdom, and his idol. Not just his idol, but his infatuation. Ever since he was a child he admired the prince, just like every other child he had known, but his was different. He didn't want to be like the prince, but instead, he wanted to be with the prince. Roxas knew then that he wasn't like normal children, especially normal boys.

Normal boys his age were discussing their opportunities in life and the girls down the road, specifically how to woo them. But Roxas, at the age of 12 had started training to be a knight in his backyard having decided that it was the easiest way to get closer to the prince. Roxas' family had been supportive of his decision to become a knight, not knowing the true reasons behind it, and were constantly helping him train, his brother especially. Sora, Roxas' older brother, could be found out back of their small house, armed with small wooden swords and the like, fighting with Roxas to help him become stronger. Sora's best friend, a full fledged knight named Riku, would often watch and give tips but stayed out of the fighting, preferring to make notes to report back to his commander, not that Roxas knew about that.

As it was, Roxas seemed to stand a better chance than the other boys who were competing to gain one of the coveted slots as an official Knight in training, but Roxas hadn't met his main opponent. A boy named Seifer.

Seifer was brutal and ruthless, but Roxas didn't know that yet. Nor did Riku, so he couldn't warn the younger boy. However, the prince knew and he watched. He waited for Riku at the castle every evening for his reports on the younger blond. What Roxas didn't know was the prince had seen him years ago and like with Roxas, it had been love at first sight. He was looking forward to adopting Roxas into the ranks of his Knights, but only if he could truly prove himself. Prince Axel had gone out into the town and had found one of the toughest boys he could. He issued him an open invitation to join his knights, but plainly stated, that like the other hopefuls he would have to prove himself in the initiation competition.

Truth be told, the prince wasn't entirely confident that his younger lover, or rather lover to be, could beat the older blond boy, but he hoped he would. The recently instated rules that only three competitors could join the training brigade, and there was tough competition. So why was Axel pulling in a tough competitor? To weed out the others of course. The boy was loud, and brash, and had a rather loud ego. He had been strutting around town all week bragging about the competition, and fighting those who tried to dispute his boasts of the prince inviting him personally. The number of competitors had already gone from twenty to twelve. Axel liked those odds a sight better than the previous ones.

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Author's Note: This is part of my submission to Nanowrimo, so no, it's not great. I was worrying about quantity not quality when I wrote this. I'll post chapters as I hit a milestone (usually every 10,000 words) or when I finish a chapter. Feedback keeps me going, so I hope you enjoy this. 


	2. Part 1: Try, One

Axel paced the small meeting room waiting for Riku to arrive. He hoped he would hear better things about his blond than what he had been hearing. Roxas had been growing discouraged as winter had started to set in. He knew the boy had always been fond of the warmer seasons and tended to grow listless as the cold came. Riku, one of his best friends, had told Axel just recently that Roxas had refused training sessions with his brother twice in the past week, claiming that he didn't feel well, and that perhaps he should wait until the summer competition. Axel frowned, by the time the summer competition came around he could already have Roxas by his side, but he just couldn't tell the boy that. It was forbidden by his father to take a lover with no decent status. Even if the boy was a knight, it would please the king.

Axel was thankful that his father wasn't overly strict, seeing as how he wasn't first in line for the throne. Thinking of that, he suddenly felt a strong amount of gratitude for his older brother, Reno. Reno, the outgoing heir to the throne. Their father would die of shock if he knew the sort of things that Reno got into on a daily basis. Not to mention, the man he was keeping on the side. While Axel may be free to love, Reno certainly was not, and nothing spurred Reno on more than forbidding him to do something.

Axel stopped mid pace when he heard the old wooden door creak open. Those hinges were in desperate need of oiling, he though. Riku held a folded sheet of parchment in his hand, and waved to his prince.

"Axel, you're on time. I'm surprised."

"And you're late." Axel snapped, swinging his leg over a chair and sitting at the small meeting table. "Tell me, how are things with Roxas and his brother?"

Riku nodded, pushing the parchment towards Axel. "Things are fine. I convinced Sora to ride Roxas' coattails in the morning to get him going, and he was out there today, training. I'm concerned, however. He doesn't seem to be doing well health wise. I'm afraid that being in the cold air so often is bad for him, I believe he's getting sick."

"Sick? That's very bad. Perhaps . . . No, he'll be fine. I'm sure of it. If not, I'll go there myself." Axel said, his attention now diverted from the notes and sketches of Roxas.

"And what would you do Axel? Show up on his doorstep, demanding to nurse him back to health? As far as everyone there is concerned you've never laid eyes on him, let alone met him."

"Maybe . . . Maybe if we were to meet face to face again, he would remember me? Do you think that it's possible Riku?" Axel asked quietly, looking at his hands folded nicely in his lap. A gray mouse poked its head out of its hole in the wall and watched the goings on before darting back to it's home, continuing its search for food.

Riku sighed, and ran a hand through his long silver hair. "The odds are against you, I think, Axel. He was only four when he met you, and I know for a fact that he doesn't remember much from then. In fact, he thinks the first time he saw you was during the Parade honoring our beloved queen's passing all those years ago."

"But, that wasn't all that long ago. Surely not..."

Riku shook his head, "No. He was only eight at the time, and you were twelve. That was about nine years ago, wasn't it? I highly doubt that he will remember you from when he was four. At least he acknowledges your existence. Sora just laughs whenever he brings it up. Of course, I believe that Sora is rather . . . oblivious to most matters concerning his brother."

Axel scanned the parchment sadly, if Roxas wouldn't remember the first time they met . . . perhaps there was something that Merlin could do? He had potions and spells for just about everything it seemed. Surely something as simple as a regaining a lost memory wouldn't be difficult for the famous wizard?

"Axel, Sora is still trying to arrange a marriage between Roxas and Lady Namine." With that, Axel was torn from his musings and sat staring at his friend with his mouth hanging open.

"Lady Namine? That's impossible, I won't allow it! How does Sora even know her anyway?"

"Lady Kairi, of course. She's been sneaking away from her family for years, and she met Sora in their apple orchard one day. Roxas has put up a good fight, I must say, so you needn't worry too much, Axel. Lady Namine seems quite smitten with your little lover boy, however. It's sweet."

"Sweet? It's not sweet. It can't be sweet." Axel pouted, slamming his hand down onto the tabletop. A small cloud of dust rose and swirled in the air. Riku wrinkled his nose at the assailing dirt.

"You worry too much." Riku said, covering his nose. His eyes were beginning to water. "I'll speak to you again on the morrow, Axel. For now, it's late and I would like to get some rest."

Axel nodded softly, looking up at his friend. He too rose from his seat and made to leave the small room. "When shall I see you again, Riku?"

"Tomorrow most likely. When the sunsets would be best, I shall try to keep Roxas inside after the sun sets. It's far too cold at night." Riku replied, bidding the red headed prince farewell.

----

The two heavy wooden swords made a thud as the fell from Roxas' slack hands onto the frozen, dead grass. His chest heaved as he panted, pulling in the painfully cold air. His face was flushed, and he fell to his knees, exhausted. Sweat beaded on his forehead and neck despite the frigid temperature. Sora was by his side in a heart beat, wrapping a thick wool blanket over his brother. Riku, seeing Roxas collapse, darted over to the two boys, and carried Roxas into the small house, shooing Sora away on a mission to fetch some hot broth for Roxas.

Roxas was safely bundled under layers upon layers of thick blankets, with a cool cloth on his forehead to help break the fever, Riku sat back, watching the boy. He spoke gently to Sora, explaining the situation. As he talked, he glanced over at the slumbering boy to make sure he was doing just that, sleeping.

Sora, surprisingly, took the whole situation very well. He nodded and gasped in the appropriate places of Riku's story, especially when it came to the part where he told him that Prince Axel had met, and subsequently fell in love with, Roxas years and years ago. Riku hadn't missed the twitch of Sora's eye muscle when he heard, but he didn't say anything either. He assumed that if Sora truly had a problem with it he would make himself heard.

When all was said and done, Sora was quiet, but only at first. "... I suppose it's good news for Prince Axel then, that Roxas has never expressed any sort of interest in girls, despite me pushing him toward Lady Namine constantly. I'll have to stop that, won't I, Riku?"

Riku laughed quietly, trying his best not to wake the sleeping teenager. "Yes, that would be best Sora. Leave Axel and Roxas to their own devices. Things will work out for the best. I just wonder who's heart will be broken first."

"You think things will turn out badly for the two of them?" Sora asked.

"In the end," Riku replied, "Perhaps. No one knows how Roxas feels. He keeps his emotions hidden far away from all of us, and his own friends as well. I believe that the only one who knows how things will end is the wizard, Merlin. He knows a great deal of things, and sees more than that, I think. He's an odd fellow."

----

Roxas' two guardians quieted as they saw their charge stir in his sleep. He groaned and tried to throw his arm over his head, only it was restrained by the heavy blankets. He grew silent before long as he fell into a deeper sleep. Riku stood when he felt it was safe. He couldn't bring himself to move as Roxas struggled in his sleep. "I best be going. Axel will like to know what has happened."

Sora walked his friend to the door and saw him off. "Do you think Prince Axel will honestly come here to help Roxas?"

"I don't know Sora. He's unpredictable, he is. You'll know before the day's end tomorrow."

Sora watched the silver haired knight leave from his tiny house that he shared with his equally tiny family toward the looming castle in the distance. He noted the sun's position. It wasn't likely that Riku would reach the castle by nightfall, but he supposed that he wouldn't be too late. Prince Axel wouldn't have to wait too long. Sora shut the door behind him and made his way back to Roxas' room. He was surprised to see the blond boy sitting up in bed, sipping the now cold broth that Sora had made over an hour ago.

"I was thirsty." The sickly boy explained, lifting his cup of broth to his lips to take another drink.

"How are you feeling?" Sora asked, sitting on the lumpy bed next to his brother. He removed the damp rag that was falling from it's place on Roxas' forehead.

"I'm fine. Can we go back outside and finish our training?"

"Roxas!" Sora shouted, jumping up. "Don't be stupid! You just collapsed outside. Obviously you're sick, and as your older brother I order you to take a weeks worth of bed rest. Do you hear me?"

Roxas sighed and hung his head. "Yeah, I hear you. But Sora, the knight's competition is in less than a month, I have to have all the training I can get!"

Sora wrinkled his nose cutely, and crossed his arms. "That hasn't stopped you from slacking earlier in the week, and I was dumb enough to encourage you to go and train. Well, I'm taking that back. Bed rest for a week, ok?"

Roxas groaned and fell backward into the bed, glaring up at the ceiling. "Fine."

"Good." Sora smiled, tucking the blankets back around his brother. "I'll make sure Hayner and Pence come visit you this week, alright? You won't be completely bored." He paused and tapped his chin in thought. "How about I have Riku bring you a copy of the Knight's Code for you to study. It would look well upon you to have memorized it. You'll seem as though you're serious about becoming a knight."

"I AM serious!" Roxas protested, breaking into series of grueling coughs at his outburst. Sora patted him gently and replaced the rag upon his forehead.

"I know that, but it's best to show them."

Roxas turned his head away from his brother, gazing out of his small window, and let his mind wander. Did he really stand a chance to get into the royal knights? Part of him doubted it but he was constantly trying to suppress that part of him, constantly trying to think positively. He tried his best to focus not on the competition but on his future, the possibilities that awaited him within the castle. The Prince with his burning red hair and his striking green eyes. He had only seen him in person once but those eyes were so mesmerizing that it was impossible to forget them or the way they pierced into his soul or the incredibly vibrant green of them.

----

"Axel, I have some news, that you won't want to hear." Riku said, looking his royal friend in the eye. "What I told you yesterday was correct. Roxas has taken ill."

"What? What happened? Will he be ok?" Axel asked, his eyes wide. He shook Riku by the shoulders slightly.

"He'll be fine," Riku said, brushing his friend off. "He collapsed earlier during his training and we've put him on a week of bed rest. He should be fine. Miserable, most likely, but fine." He smirked as he watched Axel wring his hands nervously.

"Riku. I want to go see him. Please..."

Riku stopped in his tracks. See him? But they hardly knew each other. How on earth would Roxas react to that, he wondered. "I don't recommend it, but you're not under my charge. If you want to see him, go ahead."

Axel tugged on a strand of his bright red hair and sighed, "This would be easier if I knew how he felt about me, but, that's impossible."

"I'll say. He doesn't even tell Sora how he feels. Mm... Sora knows your story now by the way. He's going to stop pushing Roxas toward Lady Namine."

"Thank the gods!" Axel cheered.

The meeting room's large wooden door creaked open slowly catching the attention of Riku and Axel. They turned expectantly toward the entrance. A young boy, though not much younger than the prince, peeked around the door with a smile. His eyes crinkled at the edges with merriment.

"Hello there!" The boy called, stepping fully into the room. He held a large sheet of rolled up parchment in his hand, a mandolin in his other. "You two are looking lively."

"Who are you?" Axel asked, standing up from the table. The boy just smiled wider, walking around the room. He ran the hand holding the scroll along the walls, brushing against the tapestries, making the rustle.

"I'm Demyx. I'm new here, I was just hired by . . . Zexion, I think he said his name was? Anyway, he told me to give this to you, Prince Axel. It's a summons from your father, the King." He handed Axel the scroll and beamed at him.

Really, Axel thought, this guy was just a bit too cheerful. He'd have to speak to Zexion, who was in charge of the servants, about him. Perhaps he could tone down the boy's enthusiasm. Axel chuckled, thinking of the ways Zexion could distract him, or better yet, the court jesters. They could certainly keep him entertained...

He unfurled the scroll to reveal a desperately long message regarding the state of affairs within the castle. A small note from his father was scrawled down at the bottom. It read simply 'See me in my chambers as soon as you are able, Son.' He sighed, rolling the parchment back up and tucking it into a pouch tied onto his belt. He couldn't imagine what the old man could want from him. He tended to keep his distance from his younger child, and focused mainly on Reno.

"Riku, can you wait here, or would you like me to meet you somewhere else?" He asked the silver haired boy, ignoring Demyx was watching the two of them.

"I'll be in my quarters," Riku nodded, "I'll see you after your meeting with your father. We can discuss what you'll do about Sora's brother." He swept out of the room in a flurry of silver from his hair and emerald from his cloak. The servant Demyx peered up at his prince, mentally noting the conversation he had heard. He fiddled with his mandolin as he followed the prince out of the room.

Axel, however, was not paying the slightest attention to his newest servant, intent on getting this meeting over with as soon as possible so that he may attend to Roxas. He didn't pick up on Demyx's suspicious nature.

----

Roxas scowled at his brother when he tried to give him another cup of crushed mint in garlic infused water. He was sure that Sora wouldn't be nearly as insistent about it if he was the one having to drink the wretched liquid. Whoever it was who created that concoction should be hanged in public at dawn on a rainy day.

Needless to say Roxas wasn't in the best moods. He hated being confined to one place and he hated having to obey Sora's commands. He was feeling better so therefore he didn't need bed rest. He'd been here for three days already and he still had another daunting four days ahead of him. He was going stir crazy. The muscles in his hands were itching to get a hold of his swords again and to start training. Although he wouldn't admit it to Sora, he was worried. He only had three weeks left, less actually, until the Knight's competition and he didn't think he'd be good enough to pass the first rounds, let alone qualify for the finals

With these thoughts circulating around his mind, he didn't hear his brother come into the room armed with a plate of biscuits and dried ham. Sora set the plate down on the roughly hewn wooden table next to Roxas' bed and sat beside the sick boy.

"Roxas? How are you feeling?"

Roxas tore his gaze away from the window, his thoughts interrupted. "I'm fine Sora... You can stop asking." He replied sharply.

Sora offered the plate to Roxas and placed another blanket atop the others. "You have a visitor, by the way. Do you want me to send him in after you're done with supper or now?"

Roxas picked at a biscuit on the plate and coughed. "Now's fine. I don't think I'm going to eat much tonight."

Sora nodded, raising from the bed. He swung around the doorframe into the poorly lit hallway before looking back at his brother. "Just don't faint again, all right?"

"I did not faint." Roxas grumbled, watching his brother leaving. His footsteps padding down the small hall to the front room. He wondered if he could convince Sora or Riku to let him leave his bed long enough to enjoy the fire that he knew was roaring in the fireplace out front. He sighed and leaned back in his bed, burrowing under the covers. He kept one eye trained on the doorway awaiting his visitor.

His jaw dropped when he saw who it was. There, with Riku by his side, was Prince Axel. Prince Axel in all his glory, complete with his wild red hair, his amazing green eyes, even his burn mark under said amazing eyes. He was there, standing in Roxas' bedroom. He didn't say a word for he was far too astounded to utter a syllable. Prince Axel, who he had been in love with for the past eight years, was standing in his room also not saying a word.

"I... er... I heard you were sick from Riku." Axel muttered nervously, breaking the silence in the room. Roxas nodded weakly at the prince and blushed. Axel mistook it for being caused by his illness. "If you're not feeling well, I can leave. I don't want to bother you. I've just... heard a lot about you, from Riku, and I was curious as to how you were feeling." It was obvious that Axel was starting to gain his confidence back. The boy he had seen all those years ago was right in front of him and still as handsome as ever. He had changed a good deal, but it was most definitely still the same boy. He could see the ever present stubborn streak in his eyes. The headstrong attitude that had attracted him in the first place.

Roxas swallowed his heart back down to where it belonged and shook his head vehemently. "I'm fine," He assured Axel. He struggled a bit and managed to sit back up in bed. His cold rag fell from his forehead and slid down his face. "You're not bothering me in the slightest, though I can't say the same for this." He dangled the rag from his thumb and forefinger. Sighing again, he placed it down on his side table, next to his supper plate.

Axel, the youngest prince of the kingdom, smiled and laughed. He grinned at the boy in front of him. The bedridden boy had made him laugh with a single line, something that most found incredibly hard to do. Axel's mind was yelling at him to hightail it out of there before something bad happened. However, a small part of his mind, the part that had been locked away for years and kept hidden, laughed carelessly and urged Axel to stay and talk to Roxas, to befriend him, to hold him, to touch him, to . . . well, those things couldn't be done just yet. They hadn't known each other long enough, after all.

"Why are you here?" Came Roxas' voice, weak from days of coughing. "Don't think me rude," he said, "But it doesn't make sense. Why would the prince come see a lowly subject?"

"You're hardly lowly, Roxas. Your family runs the largest apple orchard in the kingdom. And status aside, you're no more lowly than I. I've never cared for the standards society places, truth be told."

Roxas made an odd noise in the back of his throat and kicked a few blankets off. Fanning himself, he said, "You're . . . " He gaped like a fish out of water trying to find the right words.

"Different? Not what you expected, perhaps." Axel smirked.

"Not exactly... You're what I expected, just less . . . arrogant." He said, waving a hand helplessly, as though the hand wave would explain everything. Axel blinked slowly at the boy, letting his words sink in. Less arrogant?

He threw his head back and laughed loudly. "No, no. I assure you, I'm quite arrogant. But I have to make a nice first impression, don't I?" He cast a sly look at Riku who had been silent all the while. There was a loud crash followed by a string of colorful exclamations from Sora in the front of the house. Roxas raised an eyebrow.

"So you're being false with me?" He quipped, ignoring his brother's clumsiness.

"Would you prefer me to be arrogant and full of myself?" Axel asked, mirroring Roxas' dubious expression. "I certainly can be. However, I thought I'd be nice enough to be kind to you, a sick person. Besides, my ego doesn't show around those dear to me, my friends, that is."

"Friends. Right." Roxas scowled, squashing the hopeful thoughts emerging. He may have fancied himself in love with the prince but he had heard nasty rumors for years. Rumors about how the prince was arrogant and could easily be mistaken for a donkey's rear.

"Don't be like that. I'm telling you the truth. Besides, I've got Riku talking to me every evening, raving about how you're going to become a knight here in a few weeks. I'm looking forward to the competition. I'll be rooting for you, just to let you know." Axel winked at the blond. He nudged Riku in the side who promptly nodded.

"Why?" It was a simple enough question. Roxas was curious as to why Axel would have taken an interest in him, he was nobody after all.

"Why not? It'll be nice to have another friend in the castle. Riku gets boring after a while." Riku shot Axel a glare and left the room to go find the harried Sora. It seemed he had received a visitor at the door who had started berating him, loudly, about the quality of something or other. Axel moved his chair closer to Roxas' bedside. His heart was drumming loudly in his chest, drowning out more and more as he edged closer to his love interest. "We've met before," he said plainly.

"I know."

As simple as that. I know, and that was all. No explanation or anything of the like. Axel's head shot up in surprise and he stared intensely into Roxas' watery blue eyes. There were no lies lying in wait in those deep blue depths, only honesty, and nervousness. Axel fought the urge to giggle. "You know then. You remember?"

"What's there to remember? I saw you years ago, in a parade, and you looked at me dead in the eye. I'm surprised you remember." Roxas replied, breaking the eye lock with his prince.

Axel frowned and hung his head sadly. "Oh... I thought you meant... Never mind."

Roxas cocked his head to the side curiously, one eyebrow lifted again. He was a little confused by the events that had just transpired. What was Axel talking about? Surely he couldn't be referring to the time he had gotten lost in the town's marketplace. That was over twelve years ago, he could barely remember it at all, so surely Axel couldn't remember it. Ah, a little voice chimed in, but Prince Axel was older than you, so he'd have an easier time remembering.

The voice, his conscience, was right. Axel was around eight years old, he would more likely remember that day, better than Roxas did at least.

"Do you mean that day in the market?" Roxas finally spoke up, voicing his thoughts. "That was years and years ago." He frowned, thinking hard. "I can hardly remember it."

Axel stared at Roxas with his mouth and eyes wide. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. "You remember? You honestly remember, Roxas? That day . . . we hid away and we talked, for hours it seemed." He laughed a little. "Until your mother started yelling for you. You told me that your brother was supposed to be watching you."

"I was watching him. Until the worm snuck off." Sora said, grinning from the doorway. He held a washrag in one hand. "I was too afraid to tell Mother that I had lost him. Of course, he never did tell me what he had been up to the whole time he was gone. Who knew he had hidden away with the Prince." He leaned against the doorframe. Riku creeped up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He too held a washrag in his hand.

"Making Riku do servants work already Sora? I approve."

Roxas shook his head however, in response to his brother. "I don't think I ever associated the boy behind the staircase with Prince Axel . . . until now, that is." That seemed right. He really hadn't thought of the Prince as the older redheaded boy who laughed loudly and stole pears from the fruit vendors. Was he really the same boy who had kissed him on the cheek when he was only four?

"Axel. Just Axel, please. We've known each for far too long for you to continue calling me Prince." He dragged a long fingered hand through his longer red hair, tugging a few tangles out, wincing as he did so. He peered out the window quickly and frowned. "I should be going soon. The sun's beginning to set."

Riku handed his damp cloth to Sora and went to stand by Axel's side. "You're right. We should be leaving. Your father will be upset if you miss the evening meal again."

Standing slowly, Axel abandoned his seat by Roxas' side and replaced the chair against the wall. He gave Roxas one last charming smile and said, "I'll see you again Roxas. At the castle this time, however. I'm looking forward to watching you join the ranks of my knights."

"As am I." Riku said quietly, smiling slightly. "I'll have a decent comrade at long last."

The pair bid Roxas and Sora farewell, and wished Roxas a swift recovery.


	3. Part 1: Try, Two

A weeks passing found Roxas in good health once more and with time dwindling until the competition he was often found out back with his brother and Riku training. The silver haired knight had volunteered to take Roxas' personal training to the next step and to Roxas' surprise, he was ruthless. He drove Roxas harder than anyone else ever had and did so every day from sun up to sun down. By the time the day was out Roxas was trenched in sweat, panting so hard his eyes watered. There were times when both Riku and Sora teamed up and fought Roxas, testing his abilities. It was on those days that Roxas went to bed without supper and slept like the dead. His dreams were plagued with images of him losing his matches and being turned away from the castle in shame. He would often awake from these dreams questioning himself and whether or not he should be pursuing this particular goal.

Even if he did become a knight that was no guarantee that he would become overly close to Axel, he reasoned. The odds were mostly against him, he would think to himself, most likely the prince wouldn't have any sort of that type of interest in him. But none the less, Roxas worked everyday with Riku and Sora and the days crept by.

As the time flew by Axel was busy as well. Every day he seemed he was with his brother and the captain of the guard, a tall bald man named Rude, working out the details of the competition to see who would be future knights. The number of candidates had greatly fallen by way of Seifer and Axel was secretly, or at times not so secretly, glad of this. At the moment he was going over a stack of scrolls that Rude had brought him, the names and details of all the competitors. He had of course already read over Roxas' scroll. He rattled off names to his brother who scribbled them down on another sheet of parchment.

They were going to be fair about pitting these boys against one another. They would draw names out of a hat. It was Reno's suggestion, Axel couldn't be held responsible for the consequences. He sighed in relief when he saw the resulting matches: Roxas' first match would be against a boy named. The younger prince brushed his worry off to the side, he was confident that Roxas could defeat him.

----

Roxas awoke with a start in the wee hours of the morning, his eyes were wide with fear. He dragged himself out of bed and shook his head roughly, trying his very best to clear it of the images that haunted him. His dreams of late had been taking sickening turns for the worse. They were filled with dark images of death, poison, a cruel laugh echoing, and blood. Lots of blood.

"I'm haunted, Sora." He whispered to his still slumbering brother after he snuck into his room. He kneeled by Sora's bedside. "I'm haunted by demons. They won't let me sleep. It's as if they're trying to warn me." His words hissed through the darkness and bypassed Sora's deaf ears. He curled into a small ball by the bed and fell asleep.

Sora found him there a few hours later. He laughed and shook Roxas awake, berating him for falling asleep on the floor. "Now your back is going to be stiff and you won't fight as well as you normally do." He piled a plate with cold porridge and forced his brother to eat every morsel. "It's good for you, and it will give you energy, so eat already." Then together he and Roxas left for the castle, half running the entire way.

Today was the day.

By the time they arrived the courtyard was full of half awake spectators and the sun was just beginning to rise. Sora ushered Roxas over to the small group of boys and young men who were milling around outside the castle gates.

"You'll do fine, Roxas. I'm absolutely sure of it. Don't worry about these others, they're nothing compared to you after all. Even Riku said that you've improved an incredible amount recently."

Roxas nodded nervously, avoiding the stares of his opponents. He hugged his brother and watched him walk off, probably to find Lady Namine and Lady Kairi, assuming they were here already. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched and sized the others. The small boy with the overly large hat would be easy to beat, as would the tall silver haired man over by the way. He seemed to self sure and full of himself to be much of a threat.

He watched a tall blond with a scar strut around like a rooster. He would be difficult, Roxas decided. He was confident and imposing and had the aura of a man who had won many battles before.

It wasn't long before a large, darker skinned man called them into a small room off the side. He gave them all a long look before leaving as suddenly as he arrived. In his place, Riku stood, having been just behind the man.

"That was Rude, the captain of the guard. Those of you who make it into the Fifth Brigade, our training squad, will regard him as the most important man in the castle. He will be in charge of you seeing as how Prince Axel leads only in battles. Understood?" He left no time for answers before immediately launching into the explanation of the battles that awaited them. "First up will be Vivi versus Biggs."

The small boy with the hat and a tall, somewhat pudgy man stepped into another room. The rest sat in the waiting room and did just that, waited.

"Vivi'll win for sure," boasted the scarred blond with a cocky smirk. "He's small but I trained him personally. He'll annihilate that other guy."

Roxas said nothing choosing to lean against the wall instead. In his head he went over all the moves he knew, wondering which ones he would have to use. However, another boy, this one with reddish blonde hair that stuck up, did not remain silent.

"Seifer, still your mouth, why don't you? You're all talk anyway. I could beat you in a heartbeat."

"Impossible." Said a silver haired girl, next to the blond named Seifer. A large beefy guy next to her nodded. "Seifer's the best, ya know!"

Before the other boy could reply the door opened again and Riku came out followed by Vivi and Biggs.

"The victor, Vivi." Riku said, gesturing to the smaller boy. He clutched onto his hat and jogged over to Seifer. "Next will be Fuu versus Rai."

It was Seifer's two lackeys who followed Riku into the room this time, the silver haired girl and the beefy guy. They weren't gone for even a full minute before they came back, the beefy man eye's somewhat unfocused.

"The victor, Fuu." Riku said quietly.

The man, Rai, fell flat on his rear end, saying "I'm fine, ya know?"

Riku spoke again, just as calmly as always, "Hayner versus Roxas. Follow me."

Roxas nodded sharply and swallowed his fear. He pushed off from against the wall and followed his friend through the door. In the next room was a rack of various weapons on the wall and a table on the other side of the room, in the corner. There sat Prince Axel and the larger bald man from earlier. Rude, that's what Riku said his name was, Roxas thought. Beside him stood the loud the boy from earlier.

"So your name is Hayner." Roxas said under his breath, hoping Riku wouldn't hear.

"Yeah, what of it?" The boy replied. He had a harsh tone to his voice and spoke with the loose dialect that was common of people who lived in the town. He eyed Roxas warily.

"I overheard you speaking with that blond guy. I was just curious." Roxas mumbled, turning his head away from Hayner's stare. Nothing more was said between the two of them for they were ushered to the weapons rack under the orders to choose one and one only.

"Keep in mind that these swords are much heavier than the wooden ones you most likely have been using before this."

Roxas weighed a few swords in his hands finally settling on a broad sword of medium length. The hilt was ebony with gold leaf details. Far too elegant to be in a training chamber.

He stood in the middle of the room staring his opponent down. He held the sword lightly in his hands, already in his customary attack position. Both he and Hayner had one eye trained on the red flag. When it fell, signaling the start of their battle, Roxas leapt forward, swinging his sword to the left. Hayner jumped back, effectively dodging the opening blow and lunged forward. It was then, when Hayner's own sword struck him, that Roxas realized that their swords were blunt. It was a relief to know but a pain in the side. He'd had a nasty bruise in the morning.

Roxas winced at the pain, sidestepped into a spin and landed an uppercut against Hayner who was knocked off his feet. Before Hayner could scramble to his feet, Roxas was over him, his sword held tightly at Hayner's throat.

"You're too reckless." He uttered under his breath, only loud enough for Hayner to hear. "Control your temper and think."

"Be quiet. I didn't ask for you opinion." Hayner said, knocking the sword aside and struggled to his feet. He shook off any attempts to help and beat Riku to the door leading out to the first room.

"Good job, Roxas. I knew you'd do well." Riku commented out of the side of his mouth. Roxas acted as though he hadn't heard. He left the training chamber with a frown.

----

"He's good." Rude said in a half whisper. "Surprisingly good for someone so young." The man next to him grinned and slung an arm around his shoulder.

"See, I told you. He's great isn't it. D'you think he'll beat that Seifer kid?"

"Assuming he's even pitted against him? I believe it would be an even match." Rude made a small illegible note on a piece of parchment. "If he does not make the finals I will consider him anyway."

"Hey, I don't get a say in the matter?" Axel asked from his spot next to the large bald man.

"You want to carry the boy off, throw him onto your bed and never let him leave. Of course you don't get a say in the matter." Said a voice from an open doorway leading farther into the castle.

"Reno. What are you doing here?" Axel asked his brother curiously, shuffling his stack of parchments idly.

"Watching, yo. Blondie was cute by the way." The elder prince collapsed in a seat next to Rude and peered around the captain of the guard to mock his brother. "You go for the young ones, huh Axel? Didn't know you had it in you."

"Be quiet Reno." Axel snapped. "No one asked you. Besides, don't you have things to be doing for Father?"

"Sure do." Reno winked. "He told me to oversee how things were going."

Axel barely had time to squash his rising growl before Roxas brought in the next competitors. He sat there, cursing his brother mentally, through the next few matches. He wondered briefly if it would be possible to rig the match so that Seifer would lose, bettering Roxas' chances, but in the end decided that it would be too obvious.

His attention came wandering back to him whistling a merry tune when Roxas' next match came up. He would be fighting a man named Irvine. He ignored his brother's taunts when Roxas came in, looking much more relaxed than he had earlier.

His opponent, Irvine was a tall man with long auburn hair tied back into a ponytail and dressed in significantly different clothing than what one would see on the streets of the city. He was genial enough, although, and even tipped his hat towards the judging table.

He has a nice smile, Axel thought, but not as nice as Roxas'.

The match didn't seem to last long because the older man jumped around a lot. He'd lunge forward, land a hit, and immediately jump back before Roxas could return the favor. In the end, the only decent hit that Roxas managed to connect with the long haired man came from above. After parrying a side thrust, Roxas had jumped into the air, knowing exactly where Irvine would be after his attack and landed a blow from the air, connecting with Irvine's right shoulder. In the long run though, Irvine was just too fast for the younger boy and Roxas was left sprawled on the floor, his chest heaving.

Axel gave Roxas an encouraging hopeful smile as he watched the boy leave the room, limping somewhat.

----

The original twelve competitors sat in the side room awaiting the results of the competition. Although they knew who had won, they did not know which three had qualified to become a knight in training. They didn't have to wait long before Riku, a high ranking knight, Rude, the captain of the guard, and Axel, the kingdom's youngest prince, came into the room solemnly. They looked each hopeful in the eye, one of which had a knowing gleam. Seifer stood at the end of the line, the clear winner of the competition.

The judges surveyed the competitors and turned to Seifer.

"Seifer Almasy, you've been accepted into our fifth brigade, our training squad. As has Fuu Jinn. Roxas Himura, you've been accepted as well. However, you will be apprenticed to Riku Mouri to hone your mediocre skills." The assembled competitors saluted the Captain of the Guard as he finished his announcement. "The rest of you are dismissed."


	4. Part 1: Try, Three

Many years ago, when Roxas was only seven, he ran away from home. He ran away into his family's orchards, running through the maze of trees as fast as his small legs could carry him. With him he carried his mother's most prized possession. He tucked it under his arm and ran for as long as he could, finally coming to a halt deep in the midst of the apple trees. The bright red fruit smiled down at him and yellow apples across the way winked at their young friend.

He sat under a particularly withered tree and rested. Although he was breathing deeply from his running he was smiling. Roxas took his mother's jewelry box and opened it slowly. Within it were dozens of glimmering golden trinkets, each one holding a different precious stone or no stone at all. There were necklaces, bangles, bracelets, earrings, rings, and even a delicate chain coronet. He ran his finger through the jewelry, enjoying the tinkling sound it made as they collided against each other.

Although his family wasn't considered wealthy, they were nicely well off. They lived comfortably that is, and Roxas' mother indulged herself every now and then, buying a new piece of jewelry that she would hardly ever wore. Roxas always watched his mother when she bought the trinkets, and probably new her collection than she did. He was mesmerized by the sparkling beauties and they brought him comfort in a way his mother didn't.

She wasn't a bad mother, that is to say, in fact she was a good one but she spent her days in town or in the orchards with their father. Therefore Roxas and Sora, his brother, were often at home alone, playing catch with the plucked fruit, or cooking, or in the market selling the fruit for their parents. By the time Roxas was five years old, he knew the family business. He knew the ins and outs of apples and how to sell them, and all the ways to use or cook them. If asked he could rattle off recipes for pies, cakes, biscuits, flat cakes, and even stews. He knew all the best spices to use with apples, and loved the information he held. He didn't however like apples nor did his brother. When one grew up eating apples everyday one quickly grew tired of them.

Roxas didn't miss his mother when she was gone off working, instead, when he felt lonely he would creep into his parents bedroom, and admire her jewelry. It was a reminder of her, and he loved it. So one day, when his mother left with another man, he ran off with her jewelry before she could take it. He sat under the withered tree, turning the bits of golden metal this way and that, enjoying the way the light played off it. He reached into the box and found a necklace with a large emerald pendant hanging from it. He was gentle when he picked it up for the chain was thin like a spider's web. Spun gold, graceful and elegant. The shiny emerald caught his eye and he watched it hang there.

Nearly an hour had passed with him underneath the tree before he started to cry. He yanked the emerald off the chain and buried it at the base of the tree. He placed the chain back in the box and closed it. He would keep this piece of jewelry, something his mother would most likely never miss, and he would remember. It reminded him of his friend from the marketplace, the one he had only met once, the one who had promised to whisk him away and keep him safe, and it reminded him of his mother with her dull green eyes and her glossy dark brown hair that shone nearly as bright as the sun at times.

The seven year old boy wiped away the tears dripping off his chin and wiped his eyes clear of any more tears. He stood, clutching the box in his arms, and ran back to his house. He had to apologize to his mother before she left, before she was gone forever.

---

Sora had made a blackberry pie in his absence and it sat upon the table waiting for the celebration to begin.

"I knew you'd do it Roxas!" Sora beamed, hugging his brother violently.

"I lost the second round though." Roxas replied, his eyes staring into nothing.

"Who cares? You were still good enough to catch the eye of the Captain of the Guard, right? So that must mean you're something special. The guy who beat you didn't make it, did he? Of course not!" Sora tugged on Roxas' arm, dragging him into the kitchen. It was warm from the fire and the pot bellied iron stove. He shed his layers of clothing that had been protecting him from the cold. "Aw, cheer up, Roxas. You'll be apprenticing with Riku, and he's the best person for the job. He knows you almost as well as I do."

"I stole Mother's necklace when I was seven."

"I...what?" Sora blinked blankly at his brother. He hadn't known this particular tidbit of information that his brother had just supplied him. He didn't remember that happening, and surely their mother would have made a fuss about the whole ordeal. She loved her jewelry and was very attached to it. Then again, so was Roxas.

His brother smiled slyly. "See, you don't know me that well."

"... I guess you have a valid point..."

"Of course. And don't worry about it Sora. It was just to have a reminder of her before she left forever." Roxas said, turning his attention to the pie that sat merrily on the table, still waiting to be eaten. He peeled back the cheese cloth covering it and inhaled the delicious smell of the cooked berries. "Can we?" He asked his brother, gesturing to the pie.

Snapping out of his daze, Sora blinked up at his brother before smiling broadly. "Of course. I made it just for you." Together they sliced into the pie, tearing through the soft pillowy and freed the very first slice.

Roxas closed his eyes in bliss and his took a bite of the tart fruit laden pastry. "This is divine, Sora."

The brown haired boy laughed and took a bite himself. He had never been overly fond of the tart fruit, preferring the gentle sweetness of ripe strawberries instead, but he knew his brother loved blackberries so he had, for his sake, scoured the marketplace and had finally found a basket. They were imported from the south, the vendor had said before proceeding to charge Sora an arm and a leg for them.

"When will you be leaving?" Sora asked through his mouthful of pie.

"I can move my belongings to my new room tomorrow. Riku volunteered to help." Roxas mumbled, his eyes still closed.

"I'll miss you, you know."

"Mm. I know. But I'll still see you every week. I can't leave my brother completely alone." Roxas said, looking at him with one half opened eye. "You'd never survive without me."

"Hey! That's not funny!" Sora protested, smiling at his brother's laugh.

----

Sora heaved a heavy box, one of three, into Roxas' new room in the Knight's wing of the castle. He dropped the box outside the door and pushed it the rest of the way into the room, frowning. "What does Roxas have in here anyway?" He asked himself under his breath.

"Corpses." said Riku. The aqua eyed, silver haired knight smirked at Sora's look and dropped his own box onto Roxas' new bed. Roxas brought up the rear bringing a somewhat larger, although lighter, box of clothing. He pushed the box off his bed and collapsed onto it. He stared up at the bland ceiling.

"Is that everything?" Sora asked after flinging a book at Riku's head, and placed his hands on his hips, surveying the tiny room. Roxas nodded absently, still staring at the ceiling. He thought about how his life was going to change and wondered how strict Riku would be. He heard, from the room next to him, a door slam open, and he sat up abruptly.

A tall man clad mostly in shades of purple stood in his doorway and graced the trio with a smirk. "You're the new kid, correct?"

Roxas nodded and rose to his feet, glaring at the man in the door.

"I am, as you doubtlessly already know, Setzer, but I shall allow you to call me Your Magnificence." He smiled brilliantly.

Sora and Roxas looked at each once, eyebrows identically raised, before looking back at the man, Setzer. "And who are you exactly?" Roxas asked.

"Are we supposed to have heard of you?" Sora asked, his lips pursed as though he was thinking hard to recall where he had heard of Setzer. Nothing came to mind for Sora had never heard of him.

The ghastly dressed man in purple stood with his smile frozen into place for several minutes. Eventually it plummeted into a frown and he turned and left, slamming his bedroom door slammed.

"Well that was strange." Sora remarked cheerfully. "I wonder who he was."

Riku smiled knowingly.

The three of them sat around Roxas' small room talking. Riku was doing most of the talking really, telling his friends about what was going to happen, and the sort of things Roxas would be doing. Before long there was a knock on the doorframe, and the three looked up. Prince Axel stood in the doorframe this time, also smiling as brilliantly as Setzer had done.

"I just thought I'd check in on how things were going down here." He said. His voice was almost as cheerful as Sora's but held a note of nervousness that Roxas did manage to catch. His heart fluttered. What reason would Prince Axel have to be nervous?

"Axel, is it really wise for you to be down here?" Riku asked quietly, pulling Sora to his feet and moving towards the doorway.

"I'm a free man, I can go where I want. Besides, I don't see what it can hurt for me to see how Rox here is doing. I'm going to be seeing a lot more of him soon since he'll be with you and you do work directly under me." He flashed a tight grin.

Riku sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I suppose. I'll leave you be then. Come on Sora, I'll show you my room. You haven't seen it yet."

Sora, sensing what was going on, nodded quickly and left the room. He put up a curious front and pulled Riku out of the room, demanding to see his room immediately, and for there to be no dilly-dallying. Sora and Riku left down the long corridor, leaving Axel and Roxas alone in the small room.

"So..." Axel began, entering the room a bit more. He closed the door after him. "Roxas. How have you been?" He had never imagined things would be this awkward and toed the ground lightly with his foot. This was ridiculous.

Roxas however, was lost in his thoughts, trying to figure out just what was going on, and just why the prince, the prince he was madly in love with, was trying so hard to be friendly with him. Yet, despite his feelings, he couldn't think of a single thing to say. Nothing he thought of would seem interesting to the prince, he was sure, and none of it would impress him. He was at a loss for words. He swallowed thickly and answered, "F-fine, thanks."

The prince smiled, ignoring his own nervousness. "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that I was rooting for you the other day. I wanted you to win."

"Why?" Roxas blurted out without thinking. There was lengthy pause before the redhead laughed loudly and pulled Roxas into a semi-hug/semi-tackle. He ruffled his hair and grinned deviously.

"Do I really need a reason?" He replied, gaining some confidence. As long as Roxas didn't hate him he could deal with anything the boy threw at him. Or so he thought.

Roxas scowled and pushed the other boy away, temporarily forgetting that he was being rather intimate with the prince. He could be sent to prison for making even the smallest mistake. He huffed and crossed his arms angrily. "Don't do that."

"Aww, come on Roxie. I'm just having some fun. Can't I do that with my new friend?"

"Don't call me Roxie." Roxas pouted.

"You're no fun" He gave Roxas a playful shove and grinned yet again. "I'm the one who suggested you be apprenticed to Riku, by the way. I thought you might like to know that."

Roxas jumped up and stared at the prince in front of him incredulously. "How can you do that? Now everyone is going to make fun of me. I was better off just being rejected."

"Perhaps, but then you couldn't be..." he trailed off when the door opened and Riku appeared. He left his sentence unfinished and asked Riku what he wanted.

"Your father needs to see you, Axel." Riku said sounding somewhat aggravated. Behind him the new servant Demyx peeked in the room and waved. The prince sighed and frowned.

"Look, I'm sorry about this," he said, apologizing to Roxas. He hurried from the room, apologizing once more and vanished down the corridor. Riku followed after hurriedly.

"Roxas, right? Your brother left a few minutes ago after I fetched Sir Riku." Demyx said. He looked around the small curiously and nudged one of the unpacked boxes with his foot. "What's in these?"

"Books." Roxas replied simply. He dreaded having to go through his works of literature and reorganize them on his shelves. He eyed the new boy curiously. He was tanned and tall, taller than he was, with eyes the color of the ocean and hair the color of wet sand. His hair actually stood up on its send, drooping slightly and the top, except for the back where it fell neatly. He had overly sharp features but seemed nice enough and he had a mandolin in his hands. "Are you a minstrel?"

For a split second Demyx looked hurt and saddened. He shook his head and took hold of Roxas' hand. "No, I'm just a servant here. My name's Demyx, and you're late. I'm supposed to fetch you for supper with the rest of the fifth brigade. Now come on!" He tugged on Roxas much like Sora had done in the past and Roxas smiled fondly.

---

"I'm haunted, Riku. Haunted by the what could bes and the what should bes." Axel said quietly as he and Riku walked the long halls of the castle, on their way to the audience chamber. "I don't know what to do. I want to tell him flat out..."

"It's too early," Riku said, "I don't think he'll take it well. Besides, you hardly know him at this point. Your feelings may change."

"No. They won't. I love him, I know I do. I knew it when I first met him." Axel looked at his friend, wondering just what he thought of him. He truly hadn't been himself this past year, not since the prospect of Roxas coming to the castle seemed so within reach, and now it had happened. The boy he had cared about for years was finally here, within his grasp. He could turn around right this moment and march into Roxas' room and kiss him, most likely resulting in being punched in the face, but then again, he was the prince. Roxas would know better than to punch the prince. Still, he wouldn't want to kiss Roxas' without the other boy returning the favor. He would wait, he had to wait.

Riku remained silent, letting his friend work things out for himself. He'd done that since the very beginning, since he had first met Prince Axel. The boy had been headstrong and rowdy, always eager to please but always making trouble. Although he was the same age as Riku he was always causing problems for him. After nearly two months as Axel's personal body guard Riku had had enough. He snapped at the prince and told him point blank to 'Sit down and be quiet'.

"I don't know, Riku. I want to love him but I know that I shouldn't." Axel said, obviously frustrated by the difficulty of the situation. His footsteps fell heavier, echoing in the hall.

"I've an idea." Riku began, stopping in his tracks and turning to Axel. "What don't you talk to him and see how he feels."

Axel merely stared at him.

"Let him make the decision for you, I mean. Drop hints as to your true intentions. He'll pick them up and hopefully return them, hm?"

----

Many years ago there was beautiful Queen who helped her husband rule their kingdom. She was happy, and her husband was happy, as were the people of the kingdom. It was a pleasant time, and many hoped it wouldn't end. But like all things must, it did.

The beginning of the end started with life. The Queen bore a baby boy and all were happy. A huge celebration was thrown in honor of the future king and things were fine. However the baby boy had bright red hair, something neither the king or queen had. The King grew suspicious of his wife and after a few short years the king had had enough. He threw his wife in prison and sentenced her to a beheading the next morning.

The kingdom cried when the axe fell, freeing the beloved queen's head from her body. The people mourned their once queen and held a celebration for her, in secret. The king had no knowledge of this and even if he had, he would not have cared. He soon took another wife who bore him a child. The king held his new child and his first born watched, looking at his new baby brother for the first time. His baby brother who's hair was equally as red as his own.

The was surprised and thought long and hard, something he had never bothered himself to do before. He remembered a painting on the fourth floor of the castle. A large portrait of his mother's mother. She had burning red hair and deep blue eyes. When the king recalled this he felt no remorse for what he had done to his first queen.

As the second child grew he would hear whispers for the lords and ladies that visited the castle. Whispers of his brother's mother, the one he wished he had. His mother was a good woman at heart, he supposed, but she was cold and distant. She cared for nothing more than what her status could gain her. His brother Reno however, would often hear stories about how his mother was a gracious woman and quite generous. They both heard stories of the many good deeds she had accomplished during her reign and how she had loved her son dearly.

When Axel, the youngest prince of the kingdom, was away from his brother and father, he would hear the lords and ladies, and even his own knights talk about him. It was impossible to get away from. At the tender age of six he already knew that he was worthless and never would be like his brother Reno or Reno's mother. He would follow in his mother's footsteps, careless and cold hearted.

Axel decided then, when he was only six years old, that he would become more than that and that he would prove everyone wrong. He wanted to be seen for the person he was, not for the person who he wasn't, and definitely not as someone who could never compare to the original queen. He started running away from the castle, fleeing into the town, making his caregivers worry and call his name for hours. He would giggle and laugh at them as they yelled for him. But then the comments came, the curses, and insults, and he wouldn't laugh after that. He would creep away, back to the castle, back to the people who berated him.

He tried after that to be better at different things. He threw himself into his studies and into his training. He was soon answering questions before his tutor could even finish asking them, and he was defeating the knights that he trained with. He was only eight.

When he boasted about his deeds to his family, they merely nodded and told him to hush and eat his supper. Only his brother spared him a second thought, but he wasn't the one Axel cared about. The snide remarks never ceased and soon Axel was running into the city again. He stole into the marketplace, plucking an apple from a vendor whose back was turned. It was just his luck however, that the vendor's son had been watching him and had followed. He had just started eating the apple in his hiding place, a nook beneath a staircase behind a sweet shop, when he heard someone call, "Hey you! That's not your apple!"

He was so surprised that he dropped his shiny apple to the ground and it rolled forward, gathering a coating of dirt. He frowned down at it before he snapped his head over to the voice, ready to tell them to leave him alone, that he was the prince and they had no right to speak to him. There were no words for how surprised when he saw his accuser was a small boy no older than four. The blond kid stood there, glaring at him with his hands on his hips angrily.

"Who are you?" Axel demanded.

"My father owns the cart that you stole that apple from." The boy spoke surprisingly well for his age and Axel was impressed. He lowered himself back into the sitting position that he jumped out of when the boy had first shown up. He beckoned the boy closer and grinned.

"What's your name?" he asked the blond boy curiously.

"Roxas."

"Roxas, I'm sorry I took your apple but I was hungry and I have no money. I'd return it but it fell on the ground and it's ruined." Axel said, looking as pitiful as he could manage.

The blond boy, Roxas as he said his name was, looked at the poor dirty apple on the ground. He started at it for a good minute before nodding and turning back to the unknown prince. "It's ok. Father'll never miss one apple. If he asks, I'll take the blame." He watched this stranger older redheaded boy with a keen eye.

He was different from other boys he had met before but he just couldn't put his on how exactly. The boy was vibrant and seemed so proud of himself. Self-sure as it were, but with a strong shyness hidden underneath it, or perhaps that was sadness.

Axel grinned at the boy and hugged him, thanking him in the best way. He pulled the younger boy down and talked with him. They talked for hours and Axel learned that Roxas knew enough about apples to fill a book, but yet he hated the delicious crisp fruit. Roxas learned that his new friend was always made fun of and put down by everyone and that he hated it. He told the green eyed boy that he shouldn't let the words of others bother him because deep down, he knew what he was like, and that was what mattered, not some flippant words of people who hardly knew him. He asked Axel if there was anyone who cared, and Axel hesitantly replied that he thought his brother cared sometimes. At the very least, Axel had said, he doesn't hate me, and he doesn't ignore me.

The spoke for a long time, learning that Roxas' birthday was only a week away and that Axel however had been born in the middle of winter, so he naturally loved the warmth. Somehow they had went from talking about warmth, to fire, to evil, and finally to fairytales.

"Roxas, you're my best friend!" Axel proclaimed, hugging the younger boy. Roxas blushed deeply and pushed him away, pouting.

"Aww, don't be like that," Axel said, poking his friend in the cheek. "I like you. A lot. One day, I'll save you from a life of apples and I'll carry you away on my noble white steed."

Roxas giggled and looked at him as slyly as a four year old knew how. "Then what? Will we be married? That's how the stories go after all."

"Mm-hmm! We'll get married and then we can kiss and live happily ever after." Axel frowned when he heard someone shouting from not that far away. But it didn't sound like his name, it sounded like...

"ROXAS!"

Roxas' name. Someone was calling for him. He humphed and hugged Roxas again.

"My mother's calling." Roxas said sadly. He didn't want to leave his friend, he was having fun.

The boys stood up, Axel already starting to tower over the other boy. He had always been rather tall. Before Roxas could leave, Axel swooped down and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Promise we'll have a happily ever after, Roxas?"

"I promise..." Roxas whispered, trying his very best to block out his name being called. He stayed where he was until Axel had left him, and then he took off down the alley, towards his mother. It was then that he realized he hadn't learned the other boys name.

Axel however, was ecstatic and not plagued with guilt for not learning his new friends name. He was on the proverbial cloud nine, and couldn't have been happier. He vowed then and there that he wouldn't let his family or those lords bother him. He'd show them. He'd show them all.


End file.
